Councillors here agree in having the town Fire and Emergency Measures committee also act as the town’s emergency management program committee.
At the July 7 meeting, Minto Fire Chief Chris Harrow explained that because of provincial legislation, the town is required to have an emergency measures committee.
That committee is comprised of members as required in the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, and, as approved by council, can request assistance from any official from any other level of government; or from outside agencies, public or private, to further the emergency management program for the town.
“They are supposed to meet yearly to improve the town’s emergency measures plan,” Harrow explained.
He said he and Wellington County’s emergency management coordinator Linda Dickson had discussed the issue and agreed it would be redundant to have two separate committees.
“What we’re doing is combining it with the fire and emergency measures committee,” Harrow said. “If anything comes up regarding emergency measures, we can bring in extra people, such as the Director of Public Works, to look at the issue.”
He said combining the two committees “just makes sense.”
It also allows Dickson to send in committee minutes to Emergency Measures Ontario, to verify the committee is meeting regularly.
Council also approved a revised draft burning bylaw that same night, based on recommendations of its fire and emergency measures committee, recommending the revised draft burn bylaw be forwarded for approval.
Councillors approved that revised bylaw without further discussion.
